Spring-wheel.



F. STITZEL.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN,15, 1913.

1,089,979. Patented Mar. 10, 19m

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. STITZEL.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION nun JAN.15, 191s.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-11331 2.

INVENTOR a" I: g y

Altarmy WITNESSES mar an FREDERICK STITZEL, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SPRINGWVHEEL.

Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented Ma r. MP, till-1t.

Application filed January 15, 1913. Serial No. 742,193.

To all whom it may concern .ie it known that I, FREDERICK STrrznL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jell'erson and State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Springl'V heels, of which the following is a Iliull, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a spring or cushioned wheel, for use on motor cars and other vehicles.

The invention consists 01 a wheel having an inner member and an outer member, wherein the inner member, which contains the hub spokes and and spoke connecting rim, is of rigid construction, and the outer member, which contains the rim and tire is connected with the inner member in such a manner as to yield circumferentially and thus allow the inner member to yield vertically while supported by the yielding connections, diltering thus from those prior constructions wherein radially arranged springs or other resilient devices are used, and being an improvement upon those prior wheels wherein circinniterentially arranged resilient members are employed, as I will proceed now to explain and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 an elevation of one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 an elevation of part of the same wheel, on a larger scale, showing one of the springs in section. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the substitution of air-cushions for metal springs as the resilient members. Fig. el: is an elevation showing a segment of a wheel. using metal spring. as the resilient members without casings. are detail Figs. o, b and 7 cross-sections taken respect rely in the planes V and Vi of Fig. 2 and Vii of Fig. 3. igs 8, 9 and 10 are respectively an end elevation, a horizontal section, and a perspective view at the socket for the resilient members and spok' The inner member oi. the wheel comprises a hub 1 of any approved construction, having spokes 2 which are connected by a rim, or a. band or ring, as indicated at 3, which several parts are rigidly connected. The outer member of the wheel comprises a tire 4:, a rim 5 and a series of spoke-sockets 6 adapted to receive the spoke ends 7, Fig. 4, or extensions 8 thereof, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5,

and the resilient members, such as metallic spr ngs 9 Figs. 2 and .1-, the ends oi these springs being set in the sockets under compression and adapted to be engaged and further compressed by the spokes as the wheel turns. These springs are so arranged in the spoke so .:kels with reference to the spokes that they \;'ieldi11;:;ly support the under side of those spokes which are descending, while the upper sides oil said descending spokes are relieved oi the pressure of the springs, and also all'ord \'icl(ling resistance to the upper side ol the ascending spokes while the undersides ol said asrending spokes are relieved ol. pressure of the springs, so that said springs are active throughout substantially the entire circumference of the wheel.

The spoke-sockets (S are secured to the outer member or rim of the wheel. and project inn-*ardly therefrom, and are provided with radiall arranged longitudinal recesses it) to receive the ends of the spokes or their extensions, and of a width to permit sullicient play thereof within the elastic limit of the swings. The opposite ends of the sockcl. are countcrborcd at .1 l. to form seats for the springs of 'suilicient depth to permit the springs to normally engage the ends of the spokes; and iii the springs are incased, these socket ends are provided with seats 12 to receive the ends oi the tulnllar casings l lint, as shown in .l ig. -l, the springs need not be incased.

As shown in Fig. l, the spoke ends 7 may extend into the spoke-siazlults h, but as shown in Figs. ll. 2, 3 and 5, spoke-cud extensions 8 may be lined to the rim of the inner wheel and engage the sockets and springs.

As shown in. Fig. i ant-cushions it may be substituted for the nielallic springs. These cushions may be inllated bags having their ends scaled and provided with metallic caps 15. The several cushions may be inllaled from a common source, such as a pipe ll; having a connection 17 For the air-pump, or they may be otherwise inllalicd. 'llhese cu "hions are arranged in casings 13 like those used. for the metallic springs, and they operate in substantially the same way as the metallic springs.

The spoke ends or their extensions vibrate between the springs within. the si'ickets as the wheel. turns, and in so doing further compress the springs. lVhen a load causes the inner member of the wheel to sink, the

spokes, as it were, leave the uppermost or rearward springs, for the springs can follow the spokes only to the spring seats. The load is shifted on the s1 rings as the wheel turns, but said springs are active on the spokes on both sides of a perpendicular Within the limits of the spring seats.

By the term resilient members as used in the claims, I do not mean to limit the invention to metallic springs, but inasnuch as the air-cushions operate substan tially as resilient members, it mean to in clude such air-cushions in the claims as well as other resilient mediums that operate substantially as metallic springs or air-cushions.

ll hat I claim is l. A spring wheel, having an inner member including hub and spokes and movable independently of and combined With an outer member said outer member having spoke-sockets nxed thereto and projecting inwardly therefrom and recessed radially to receive the spokes, and circumterentially arranged resilient members supported at their ends in and between the spoke-sockets inside said outer member and having their opposite ends normally engaging adjacent spokes and adapted to be compressed by the spokes in opposite directions upon opposite sides of the vertical axis of the wheel as the Wheel turns.

2. A spring wheel, having an inner member including a hub and spokes and movable independently of and combined with an outer member, said outer member having spoke-sockets fixed thereto and projecting inwardly therefrom and recessed radially to receive the spokes, and circumferentially arranged resilient members supported at their ends in and between the spoke-sockets inside said outer member and having their opposite ends normally engaging adjacent spokes and adapt-ed to be compressed by the spokes in opposite directions upon opposite sides of the vertical axis of the wheel as the wheel turns, said sockets having seats to relieve the spokes of the eftective force of the resilient members in. opposite directions upon opposite sides of the vertical axis of the Wheel as the wheel turns.

3. A spring wheel, having an inner member incluoing a hub and spokes and mov able independently of and combined with fiopics 01 this patent may be 1,ose,eve

an outer member, said outer member having spoke-sockets fixed thereto and projecting inwardly therefrom and recessed radially to receive the spokes, and circumferentially arranged resilient members supported at their ends in and between the spoke-sockets inside said outer member and having their opposite ends normally engaging adjacent spokes and adapted to be compressed by the spokes in opposite directions upon opposite sides of the vertical axis of the wheel as the Wheel turns, said sockets having seats to relieve the spokes of the effective force or the resilient members in opposite directions upon opposite sides of the vertical axis of the wheel as the wheel turns, and. casings inclosing the. resilient members and seated in the spoke-sockets.

4t. A springwheel, having a hub, spokes and means to connect the spokes at or near their outer ends, and a rim having spokesockets secured thereto and projecting inwardly therefrom and recessed radially to receive the ends of the spokes and permit play therein both radially and circumferentially of the wheel, and resilient members seated in said sockets under compression normally engaging said spokes and adapted to be compressed by and disengaged from the opposite sides of the spokes upon opposite sides of the vertical axis of the wheel relatively to the direction of rotation of the wheel.

A spring wheel, having a hub, spokes and means to connect the spokes at or near their outer ends, and a rim having spokesockets fixed thereto and projecting inwardly therefrom and recessed radially to receive the ends of the spokes to permit play therein both radially and circumferentially, and resilient members seated at their ends in said sockets circumterentially of and inside the rim of the Wheel and normally en gaging the opposite sides of the spokes and adapted to be compressed thereby in opposite directions upon opposite sides of the vertical of the wheel relatively to the direction of rotation of the wheel.

In testimony whereoi I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of January A. D. 1913.

FREDERICK STITZEL. l i itnesses Gnonen Mnnonn, Karin VVnLsrr.

obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Qonimissioner of Patents,

Washington, G. 

